Sprint Car Racing Returns to Winchester
Friday, December 6, 2024: 500 Sprint Car Tour officials have announced that the series will be competing at Winchester Speedway (Winchester, Indiana) for the first time as a sanctioning body. Non-wing pavement sprint cars last competed at Winchester Speedway in 2019 when reigning Little 500 Winner, Caleb Armstrong, went to victory lane. The event will honor legendary sprint car racer, Tom Bigelow.
“We are excited to partner with Charlie Shaw and his staff on the return of sprint cars to the half mile,” said Jared Owen - 500 Sprint Car Tour Series Director. “It is even more special to be able to honor Tom Bigelow in the sprint car return to Winchester. His racing prowess speaks for itself and his true love for the town of Winchester and the track itself is unmatched. He is also very persistent, I don't think a meeting in the past five years has gone by without Tom asking me how we can get sprint cars back at Winchester!”
The Tom Bigelow Winchester Showdown is set for Sunday, June 29th. The event will boast an increased purse of $7500 to win and $800 to start for sprint car teams. Conversations surrounding a return to Winchester started ramping up after a successful return to Salem Speedway for the 500 Sprint Car Tour last season. After a commitment to safety and track repairs, the series made the choice to bring the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial back to Salem Speedway. A successful and competitive race showed that non wing sprint car racing was ready for the daunting task of returning to Winchester Speedway as well.
Known as the “Mouse” in the racing industry, Tom Bigelow has competed in a variety of racing cars ranging from midgets to full size sprint cars, and from national series stock cars to Indycars. Bigelow competed in nine straight Indy 500’s between the years of 1974 to 1982. Until recently, Bigelow was second on the all time USAC National Sprint Car wins list with 52 total victories. He now ranks third behind Dave Darland (62) and Brady Bacon (53). In recent years, Bigelow and his wife Judi have made Winchester, Indiana their home. The couple remain heavily involved in Winchester Speedway, helping new promoters propel the historic speedway into a new era.
“Winchester Speedway is proud beyond measure to return Sprint Cars and the 500 Sprint Car Tour return to Winchester Speedway in 2025,” said Charlie Shaw - Owner of Winchester Speedway. “To honor Tom Bigelow, with all the wins and laps logged at Winchester, is the best way we could ever imagine to jump start the return of sprint cars to the World's fastest half mile.”
The Sunday afternoon race with the 500 Sprint Car Tour will feature Modifieds and Thunder Roadsters on the racing card. More information on tickets and the entire 2025 Winchester Speedway Schedule will be available soon.
The entire 2025 500 Sprint Car Tour schedule will be released on Monday, December 9 with races going from early April to mid October. The 77th Annual Little 500 will once again be a non-points earning event for the series, in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend slot. For more information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour visit: 500sprintcartour.com and be sure to follow on social media (Facebook: 500 Sprint Car Tour | Twitter (X): @500SprintTour | Instagram: @500sprintcartour).
